Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films

A sol-gel dip-coating process was used to deposit almost stress-free highly c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films onto glass substrates. The effects of low silver doping concentration (Ag/Zn < 1%) on the structural, morphological, optical, and waveguide properties of such films were investi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohamed Dehimi, Tahar Touam, Azeddine Chelouche, Fares Boudjouan, Djamel Djouadi, Jeanne Solard, Alexis Fischer, Azzedine Boudrioua, Abdellaziz Doghmane
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Advances in Condensed Matter Physics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/740208
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850167554105933824
author Mohamed Dehimi
Tahar Touam
Azeddine Chelouche
Fares Boudjouan
Djamel Djouadi
Jeanne Solard
Alexis Fischer
Azzedine Boudrioua
Abdellaziz Doghmane
author_facet Mohamed Dehimi
Tahar Touam
Azeddine Chelouche
Fares Boudjouan
Djamel Djouadi
Jeanne Solard
Alexis Fischer
Azzedine Boudrioua
Abdellaziz Doghmane
author_sort Mohamed Dehimi
collection DOAJ
description A sol-gel dip-coating process was used to deposit almost stress-free highly c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films onto glass substrates. The effects of low silver doping concentration (Ag/Zn < 1%) on the structural, morphological, optical, and waveguide properties of such films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy, UV-Visible spectrophotometry, and M-lines spectroscopy (MLS). XRD analysis revealed that all the films were in single phase and had a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The grain size values were calculated and found to be about 24–29 nm. SEM micrographs and AFM images have shown that film morphology and surface roughness were influenced by Ag doping concentration. According to UV-Vis. measurements all the films were highly transparent with average visible transmission values ranging from 80% to 86%. It was found that the Ag contents lead to widening of the band gap. MLS measurements at 632.8 nm wavelength put into evidence that all thin film planar waveguides demonstrate a well-guided fundamental mode for both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarized light. Moreover, the refractive index of ZnO thin films was found to increase by Ag doping levels.
format Article
id doaj-art-e70087503f394235abac64f7da13b721
institution OA Journals
issn 1687-8108
1687-8124
language English
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Advances in Condensed Matter Physics
spelling doaj-art-e70087503f394235abac64f7da13b7212025-08-20T02:21:10ZengWileyAdvances in Condensed Matter Physics1687-81081687-81242015-01-01201510.1155/2015/740208740208Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin FilmsMohamed Dehimi0Tahar Touam1Azeddine Chelouche2Fares Boudjouan3Djamel Djouadi4Jeanne Solard5Alexis Fischer6Azzedine Boudrioua7Abdellaziz Doghmane8Semiconductors Laboratory, University of Badji Mokhtar-Annaba, BP 12, Annaba 23000, AlgeriaSemiconductors Laboratory, University of Badji Mokhtar-Annaba, BP 12, Annaba 23000, AlgeriaEnvironmental Engineering Laboratory, University of Béjaïa, Béjaïa 06000, AlgeriaEnvironmental Engineering Laboratory, University of Béjaïa, Béjaïa 06000, AlgeriaEnvironmental Engineering Laboratory, University of Béjaïa, Béjaïa 06000, AlgeriaLaser Physics Laboratory CNRS UMR 7538, University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris City, 93430 Villetaneuse, FranceLaser Physics Laboratory CNRS UMR 7538, University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris City, 93430 Villetaneuse, FranceLaser Physics Laboratory CNRS UMR 7538, University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris City, 93430 Villetaneuse, FranceSemiconductors Laboratory, University of Badji Mokhtar-Annaba, BP 12, Annaba 23000, AlgeriaA sol-gel dip-coating process was used to deposit almost stress-free highly c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films onto glass substrates. The effects of low silver doping concentration (Ag/Zn < 1%) on the structural, morphological, optical, and waveguide properties of such films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy, UV-Visible spectrophotometry, and M-lines spectroscopy (MLS). XRD analysis revealed that all the films were in single phase and had a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The grain size values were calculated and found to be about 24–29 nm. SEM micrographs and AFM images have shown that film morphology and surface roughness were influenced by Ag doping concentration. According to UV-Vis. measurements all the films were highly transparent with average visible transmission values ranging from 80% to 86%. It was found that the Ag contents lead to widening of the band gap. MLS measurements at 632.8 nm wavelength put into evidence that all thin film planar waveguides demonstrate a well-guided fundamental mode for both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarized light. Moreover, the refractive index of ZnO thin films was found to increase by Ag doping levels.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/740208
spellingShingle Mohamed Dehimi
Tahar Touam
Azeddine Chelouche
Fares Boudjouan
Djamel Djouadi
Jeanne Solard
Alexis Fischer
Azzedine Boudrioua
Abdellaziz Doghmane
Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films
Advances in Condensed Matter Physics
title Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films
title_full Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films
title_fullStr Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films
title_short Effects of Low Ag Doping on Physical and Optical Waveguide Properties of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel ZnO Thin Films
title_sort effects of low ag doping on physical and optical waveguide properties of highly oriented sol gel zno thin films
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/740208
work_keys_str_mv AT mohameddehimi effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT tahartouam effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT azeddinechelouche effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT faresboudjouan effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT djameldjouadi effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT jeannesolard effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT alexisfischer effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT azzedineboudrioua effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms
AT abdellazizdoghmane effectsoflowagdopingonphysicalandopticalwaveguidepropertiesofhighlyorientedsolgelznothinfilms